The three-row SUV segment is one of the most competitive automotive spaces in the United States, but it is unfortunately plagued by vehicles lacking visual appeal and driving excitement. Mazda's CX-70 takes the market and flips it over. This is a near clone of the CX-90 that we also loved, but without the third row, it seems more fun, offers more space, and is less about being a family hauler and more about the simple joy of a weekend road trip.
Honestly, I'm not sure what it is, but it "feels" more spacious in both the driver seat as well as behind in the second row, but Mazda's specs say it is identical - 40.00" in front and 74.20" legroom in the second row. Maybe it's that the space where the third row sits makes the entire vehicle seem bigger inside or possibly it's just the freedom that you feel by knowing that this is just about taking a road trip with you and the buddies or a romantic getaway with someone special and not having to worry about packing the car with people.
Road Trip Ready Cargo Space
Additionally, with the 100% dedicated space in back it is "road trip ready". You can easily place a full-sized cooler full of food and plug it in to the 1500W power adapter to keep things nice and cool on the trip and still have plenty of room for gear ranging from golf clubs to suitcases. (There's also plenty of space if your adventure is simply taking your Father-in-Law to medical appointments and physical therapy sessions!)
Ultimately, the total cargo space is nearly identical as with the CX-90 (CX-70 offers 75.33 ft vs CX-90 74.23 ft).
Style and Tech Upgrades Over The CX-90
I'm smitten by the CX-70 and I'm not going to apologize for the emotional connection that I have to this vehicle but the objective reviewer inside of me keeps pulling me back to reality. The truth is that while there's something special about this mid-sized SUV the objective reality is that this is ultimately a trim package more akin to a mid-year refresh over the CX-90. With that being said, I think it offers a better-looking front fascia, it offers slightly better tech with the alert driver system, and it offers interior options that are exclusive to the CX-70, such as the stunning red leather that makes a bold statement whenever you open the door and jump inside.
cx 70 interior options
cx 90 interior options
With all that being said, though, there are some interesting quirks, like the fact that the designers left the third-row cup holders on the side even though there's no seat there anymore. It almost made me flashback to the "Good Ole Days" when kids could just sit in the back of mom's station wagon and just hold on.
Engine, Power and Fuel Economy
In case you didn't already pick up on this ... the powertrain (comparing PHEV models) is identical as well. Mazda's PHEV system offers a total range of 490 miles, including 26 miles of all-electric range. While That nets out to a whopping 56 MPGe combined, it is only a 25 MPG combined without using the electric batter to complement the gas engine.
This presents an interesting opportunity for folks with homes since you can fully charge the CX-79's battery in under 12 hours using a standard Level 1 charger (perfect for plugging in when you get home from work and charging overnight). With a Level 2 charger found in most public parking lots and at hotels, wineries, parking garages it can charge up in under 2.5 hours. NOTE: Mazda's website offers 20%-80% charging times that are obviously much shorter but we find those less relevant compared to the typical use case of arriving at your destination with a fully depleted battery.
In driving around town, 26 miles might not seem like that much but - and compared to future PHEV California standards it falls short of future options. However, if you are looking for a vehicle that is smooth and quiet for around town combined with massive road trip range ... a PHEV instead of traditional ICE engine is a great option.
Mazda is known for "driving excitement" and the CX-70 PHEV delivers there. With a combined 323 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, the car has solid power.
With that being said, it is still essentially a 3-row SUV in length so it won't be as nimble as it's shorter brother the CX-50.
The CX-70 PHEV Is The Perfect Fit For My Lifestyle
Despite this, both Heather and I truly enjoyed our experience driving it around town and so did Jim who, despite poo-poo'ing features like the heads up display as irrelevant and just making cars "too expensive", seemed to really enjoy the comfortable seats and smooth ride compared to our daily driver KIA Soul that we bought 11 years ago.
Ultimately, my wife and I don't want a three-row SUV and we can't buy a truck because they ride too high for Jim to get into.
That severely limits our options since we also want driving technology and something that is stylish while also being efficient and still having plenty of space to stow his wheelchair, walker, and other gear that we might need to put in back. The CX-70 PHEV does all that while being a SUV for adults who don't want to feel like we're driving a "family car".
